Manila, Philippines — In one of its most significant projects to date, iOne Resources Inc.,, played a critical role in enabling nationwide connectivity through Starlink units for the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) during the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE 2025). This deployment not only showcased iOne’s technical capacity but also set a new standard for ensuring election integrity and inclusivity, especially in remote and underserved areas.
Why the COMELEC NLE 2025 Deployment is a Milestone
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Massive scale of deployment: Approximately 8,700 Starlink units were allocated by COMELEC to ensure reliable transmission of election returns from areas with limited or no terrestrial internet connectivity.
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Focus on GIDAs (Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas): Many of the Starlink kits were installed in public schools, village halls, and canvassing venues located in GIDAs to guarantee that every vote could be transmitted securely, even from remote barangays.
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Partial and forward staging in strategic locations: For example, a staging hub in Davao City, was temporarily used to store some Starlink devices, solar panels, and batteries before they were delivered to final voting & canvassing centers.
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Regional readiness in critical areas:
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In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Starlink kits were deployed to 45 municipalities where voting centers had no reliable data or internet connection.
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In Davao City, additional Starlink units were distributed across multiple barangays (both inner and remote), especially in the Second and Third Congressional Districts, to ensure that weak-signal areas had backup connectivity for election returns.
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iOne’s Role & Responsibilities
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As part of the iOne Resources Joint Venture with Ardent Networks (iOne JV), iOne was contracted by COMELEC to provide Secure Electronic Transmission Services. This includes not just the delivery of Starlink hardware, but the full installation, logistics, and deployment plan for the voting & canvassing centers across many regions.
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iOne handled staging and warehousing, coordinating with COMELEC’s Field Operations & Transmission Groups for proper inventory, transparency, and supervision by authorities (including PNP) to ensure the devices’ integrity until they reached their final destination.
Impact & Aftermath
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Transparency and trust: Deployment of Starlink for transmission of election returns helped reduce delays and transmission errors (e.g. from areas with weak cellular or fixed-line internet). Citizens and election observers noted improved speed in receiving results from more isolated precincts.
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Legacy use for public good: After the elections, ~8,000 Starlink units (many already installed in schools for the election) are being considered for donation to public schools under the Department of Education (DepEd), particularly for schools in remote and disadvantaged areas. This moves the investment beyond a single electoral event, turning it into a resource for education and development. The POST+1
Why This Matters for iOne, Starlink & the Philippines
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Validation of capacity: This deployment demonstrates that iOne has the logistical, technical, and organizational capacity to execute large-scale, mission-critical connectivity projects.
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Proving Starlink’s utility beyond commercial/residential markets: Using Starlink in national elections provides a proof point for its reliability in high-stakes settings and in GIDAs; this can unlock more institutional and governmental adoption.
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Bridging the digital divide: By delivering connectivity to remote barangays for election use — and potentially for education afterward — this deployment emphasizes inclusivity: ensuring that geography is less of a barrier to civic participation and access to essential services.
Key Challenges & Lessons Learned
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Logistics in remote and signal-poor areas: Reaching voting centers in mountainous or island barangays required careful planning of transportation, power (hence solar panels and batteries), and signal contingencies. Some areas required multiple attempts or fallback strategies if signal was too weak. SunStar Publishing Inc.+1
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Security & transparency with hardware staging: Temporary storage (staging hubs) of Starlink units raised questions and required supervision (by COMELEC, PNP, etc.) to ensure transparency. BusinessMirror+1
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Timely delivery & installation: As with any large rollout, coordination needed between multiple agencies (COMELEC, iOne JV, local election officers) to meet deadlines (e.g. “Final Testing & Sealing” deadlines) across many jurisdictions. Philippine News Agency+2GMA Network+2
Conclusion
iOne’s deployment of Starlink for COMELEC’s NLE 2025 stands out as one of the Philippines’ biggest and most ambitious uses of satellite internet infrastructure in a civic context. It’s more than just a tech deployment—it’s a story of connecting voters, improving institutional readiness, and building assets for the future. For iOne, this project doesn’t just strengthen its credentials; it helps redefine what reliable internet access means for all Filipinos, no matter where they are.
Is there a demo available online for this solution?
Sana meron din nyan sa amin. Mindoro pls.
Congrats mga pre. Kampai na dyan.
This is great news for the country. Sana tuloy tuloy na.